Marion County Planning Division

The Planning Division is responsible for administering the Marion County Comprehensive Plan and implementing land use regulations for all unincorporated areas of the county. Staff assist the Marion County Board of Commissioners, Planning Commission and Hearings Officers with review of land use regulations. This office also processes a variety of land use applications and coordinates county land use​ policy with cities, other counties, and state agencies.

Our goal in maintaining this website is to facilitate access to information which is specific to the Marion County land use and zoning process. Although every effort is made to keep all information current, please contact the office for confirmation of all information before taking action.

Marion County Zone Code Updates

The Marion County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on December 19, 2018 to receive testimony on amendments to Marion County Urban and Rural Zone Code Chapters 16 and 17 to conform to changes in state law and clarifying amendments. The Board has approved the proposed amendments and will adopt an ordinance to implement these changes in the next few weeks. Once adopted, the Marion County Code will be updated.

Update - Photovoltaic Solar Arrays

Marion County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on March 14, 2018 to consider amendments to the Marion County Rural Zone Code adopting criteria and standards limiting the siting of photovoltaic solar arrays in the SA (Special Agriculture) and EFU (Exclusive Farm Use) zones. After the ordinance imposing the moratorium was adopted on March 21, 2018, the county no longer accepted new solar array applications . Click here for a copy of
Ordinance #1387.

Proponents and opponents of photovoltaic solar arrays, or solar farms, filled the Senator Hearing Room on March 14th to express opinions on these potential changes. Following the public hearing, the Board of Commissioners directed staff to work with the Marion County Planning Commission to gather stakeholders from both sides to come up with proposals to regulate solar farms to protect the Willamette Valley's high-value farmland. This workgroup meet a number of times during the summer and this fall to discuss possible regulations for solar farms. Planning staff is currently working with the Board of Commissioners on the next steps to take, if any, while also awaiting results from statewide land use groups meeting on solar farms.